The invention relates to an electrical connector of the type having multiple rows and columns of conductive elements for connection with a circuit board.
Electrical connectors for interconnecting a circuit board backplane to a daughterboard generally comprise two mating connector halves each having multiple rows and columns of conductive elements or contacts. It is known to provide each column of contacts as a separate module that includes a vertical array of contacts having an overmolded carrier. Multiple modules are installed in a connector housing to form a complete connector. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,236. Generally, all of the modules in such a connector are substantially identical. However, there are times when it would be desirable to have different types of modules in a connector in order to accommodate different electrical characteristics of signals through the connector. A problem results in that additional tooling and handling is required for the different types of modules, thereby increasing manufacturing costs.
The backplane to daughterboard connectors have a high contact density and are required to operate at relatively high electrical speeds. Due to continuing trends toward miniaturization and improved electrical performance by the electronics industry, requirements for greater contact density and higher electrical speeds are constantly being promulgated. These requirements lead to design conflicts, especially when electrical speeds are in the range of approximately 500 megahertz and above, due to the fact that increasing the contact density places the contacts in closer proximity to each other, thereby leading to crosstalk between neighboring contacts in different signal pairs.
It is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector of simple and economical construction for mounting on a circuit board.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electrical connector having a modular construction.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrical connector having a high contact density which is suitable for use with very high speed electrical signals.
It is yet another object of the invention to improve the electrical performance of a circuit board mountable electrical connector.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a modular electrical connector that can be customized with modules having different electrical characteristics.
These and other objects are accomplished by an electrical connector comprising a housing and circuit boards carried by the housing, the circuit boards extending parallel to each other in spaced-apart relationship, the circuit boards providing electrical paths through the connector, and the electrical paths extending from a mating interface at one end of the connector to a mounting interface at another end of the connector.
According to another aspect, the circuit boards include a first type and a second type. The first type has circuitry arranged in a first pattern, and the second type has circuitry arranged in a second pattern which is different than the first pattern.
According to another aspect, multiple circuit boards of the first and second types are arranged in an alternating sequence in the connector.
According to another aspect, pairs of opposed signal tracks on the first and second types are dedicated to respective electrical signal pairs through the connector.